Reasons why you need to spay/neuter your mini pig

It is the responsibility of a pet owner is to ensure your pigs health. We KNOW spaying a female pig and neutering a male pig has health benefits. If you choose not to spay or neuter, you are not only risking your pigs overall health, but an unaltered pet pig doesn't usually make the best pet. Hormones can cause behavioral disturbances and mood swings. And once a tumor is detected, it will require surgery to remove it and you will be required to pay for the removal of the mass and also the spay or neuter at that time too. The costs of these procedures vary greatly from state to state, city to city and region to region. There is no one cost fits all. BUT, the price of the procedure is usually more cost efficient when the pig is smaller. They are easier to sedate, handle and the overall surgery is easier with a younger pig. One person may pay 150.00 while another pays 800.00 for the same procedure in another part of the country. Please remember, cheaper doesn't mean better. Please be sure your vet has experience with potbellied pigs. Production pigs are altered using different methods and surgery shouldn't be the same for "mini pigs". Also, PLEASE do not allow the use of anesthesia to be optional. If you wouldn't allow your child to undergo surgery without any anesthesia, DO NOT allow your pig to. Make sure the cost of anesthesia is included in any estimates you get for the procedure and if you are given a choice whether or not you want anesthesia to be used, please make sure they're aware that you do want anesthesia! I have seen so many male pigs sterilized without anesthesia and I couldn't imagine allowing my pig to be in so much pain. Giving no pain meds is archaic thinking and no longer acceptable. Pain management increases healing, it has physical and psychological benefits. I was recently made aware of someone who had their male baby neutered and the pig parent was given the option, she declined the anesthesia because of the cost difference, but as soon as she got her piglet home, he started vomiting, shaking and ended up having to have additional surgery for a hernia he developed hours after surgery. Anesthesia shouldn't be optional. Remember, if your vet says neutering or spaying isn't necessary, you likely need to find another vet. An unaltered female pig becomes a raging hormonal lunatic every 21 days and an unaltered male pig typically tries to mount anything he can get his front legs around. Both sexes tend to have some kind of behavioral issue when left unaltered leading to pigs needing to be rehomed. This is where the problem lies in my opinion, if everyone would spay and neuter, there wouldn't be the backyard breeding there is now.

Typically the benefits outweigh the risks...older pigs are absolutely at more of a risk. The older a pig gets, obviously the size also increases and this requires more "time under sedation" and there is more tissue to dissect to remove the reproductive organs needed to complete the procedure. Older/bigger pigs require more anesthesia because they normally have more adipose tissue, therefore, the cost usually increases because of that too. Bigger pigs typically have harder times with healing after a spay especially. The vascular component comes into play and there isn't as much circulation as there would have been on a much smaller pig, so healing typically takes longer. Wound care can also cause problems and some wounds don't heal properly in bigger pigs due to wounds reopening or dehiscence or lack of good blood flow to aid in the healing process. Some vets have more experience than others and ultimately it is your decision, but, un-spayed female pigs are VERY likely to develop reproductive organ tumors (I have heard the percentages are as high as 90%) and obviously a total hysterectomy eliminates this risk altogether. The same is true for the boys, an un-neutered male pigs at risk for developing testicular cancer and when you castrate, the risk is also eliminated for your male pig to develop any kind of reproductive tumors.. http://www.carrsconsulting.com/petpig/petwhyspay.htm

Let me add, people or breeders or rescues that adopt out unaltered pigs are simply continuing the cycle of backyard breeding. I know some are adopted with spay and neuter contracts, but those are extremely hard to enforce 2000 miles away. Please make sure these pigs are spayed and neutered!!!!

FemalesFirst estrus occurs as early as 3 months of age in gilt piglets. The lack of estrus or a distended abdomen in a young gilt may be due to pregnancy if she has been exposed to litter mate boars. If your intact female pig has been exposed to an intact boar, she likely IS pregnant. If the female does not cycle, the abortifacient prostaglandin F2α, given as two injections (8 mg and 5 mg in a 25-kg pig) 12 hours apart, can be administered when corpora lutea have become susceptible to luteolysis after day 13 after estrus. Estrus should occur 3–7 days later.

Potbellied pig and litterDystocia is of special concern in PBPs. Because the birth canal is too small to inspect for unborn pigs via palpation, radiography or ultrasonography may be indicated to reveal undelivered piglets. Oxytocin (5–10 U) may be used to aid delivery if the vaginal canal is patent. The decision to perform a cesarean section, if indicated, should be made promptly, before the sow becomes toxic and has friable uterine tissue and vessels. Cesarean section may be performed by several approaches, but the right flank approach has two advantages: the piglets nurse away from the incision, and gravity pulls the incision shut, minimizing the chance of dehiscence. Regardless of surgical approach, surviving piglets will probably require hand-raising.

Ovariohysterectomy (or removal of the reproductive organs/spay) in PBPs at 4–6 mo of age is ideal. Older female PBPs generally display irritable behavior for 2–3 days of estrus out of every 21 days of the estrous cycle. Performing an ovariohysterectomy during estrus in older PBPs is a formidable task because of the tremendous vasculature in the broad ligaments of the horns of the uterus; surgery should be delayed until ~7–10 days after estrus. Keeping a journal of when your pig is in heat will help you determine heat cycles so you can schedule the spay during a time she is NOT in heat.

A distal midline approach, as if performing a cystotomy, is routinely used for ovariohysterectomy. The uterine horns fold back and are located beside the body of the uterus with the ovaries. No ovarian ligament tearing is necessary as in dogs and cats. Penetration of the cervix by sutures should be avoided when ligating the uterine stump to prevent intermittent postsurgical hemorrhage from the vulva. A right flank approach may be used in extremely obese PBPs, in which wound dehiscence could be a complication. Isoflurane or sevoflurane anesthesia provides excellent muscle relaxation. (Malignant hyperthermia has been reported only once in a PBP under isoflurane gas anesthesia, so it is thought to be rare in PBPs.) Hypothermia during and after surgery is an important concern. A baseline rectal temperature should be recorded at anesthesia induction, and normal body temperature should be maintained until recovery is complete. Injectable anesthetics such as xylazine plus tiletamine-zolazepam can delay normal thermoregulation for 5–6 hr after anesthesia. Because some PBPs may become apneic when placed in prolonged dorsal recumbency, intubation is preferred to masking; however, PBPs may be difficult to intubate, and prolonged efforts at intubation may cause laryngeal edema and postsurgical complications.

Early spaying also reduces the risk of ovarian cysts, neoplastic uterine lesions, uterine tumors, and cystic endometrial hyperplasia. An obvious distended abdomen is seen with large ovarian or uterine masses (≥20–30 lb). Vulvar hemorrhage may be a sign of uterine tumor and can be life-threatening. Although most ovarian or uterine masses can be surgically removed, some are so extensive and invasive that euthanasia is required. Pigs do not have a vaginal discharge when menstruating, so if your pig has drainage, there is a problem as this doesn't occur in healthy pigs.

Pyometra another concern in an unaltered sow (unspayed female) and is characterized by accumulation of purulent or mucopurulent exudate in the uterus. In general, affected animals do not exhibit any systemic signs of illness, but affected mares may be in poor condition. Ultimately, once a pig has been diagnosed with this, a total hysterectomy is suggested. This is the only way to rid your pig completely of the pyometra.

MalesPBP boars retained for breeding should be kept in secure pens; they should not be kept as pets because of the unpredictable behavior of boars around other animals or people. Neutering is usually performed at 8–12 wk of age (some vets will neuter much earlier than this), using injectable and/or gas anesthesia. One protocol for injectable anesthesia is xylazine at 2.2 mg/kg, IM, followed by tiletamine-zolazepam at 6.6 mg/kg, IM, both injections in the hams. Determining whether both testicles are descended before surgery is important because cryptorchidism is seen in PBPs.

There are two different procedures commonly used to neuter pigs. One procedure is the same one used to castrate commercial piglets. This procedure is usually performed without anesthesia, when the piglet is between 3-5 days old. It consists of making two separate incisions, one over each testicle, removing the testicle and leaving the incision to heal without sutures. This procedure is quick and safe when performed on commercial swine at this very young age, but it is not considered acceptable for potbellied pigs, not to mention it is BARBARIC!!!!It might be safe for most potbellied pigs if done at 3-5 days of age, and as I understand it, some breeders of potbellied pigs perform this type of castration with minimal death losses. However, once a potbellied pig reaches weaning age and goes home with it’s new owner, no death loss is acceptable. The other procedure is done using anesthesia where as the pig is taken to the OR and the testicles surgically removed, as you would do for any pet. This (the use of anesthesia in sterile conditions) is considered to be the best practice for castration of mini pigs.

An inguinal hernia is another possible complicating factor. One reason this type of castration is dangerous for the potbellied pig is that potbellied pigs have a fairly high incidence of inguinal hernias. An inguinal hernia is a hole in the abdominal wall where the testicles exit to the scrotum. In a normal pig, this hole closes shortly after birth, but in some pigs it remains open and if the castration is performed as described above, the pigs intestines may fall through the hole and out of the surgical incisions. Obviously, this can be a life threatening complication!!!! (So please be sure your vet knows how to neuter a potbellied pig versus a production pig and the differences between the two types of castration) This inguinal ring needs to be sutured so herniation isn't a complicating factor.

Another complicating factor can be undescended testicles also called cryptorchidism; which means: A complete or partial retention of one or both testes either in the abdomen or the inguinal canal is designated as cryptorchidism. (See additional sections below regarding this anomaly) Pigs with this condition are often thought to already be neutered, however, this usually isn't the case. These testicles never drop and remain in the abdominal cavity, therefore, you have an intact boar that is still capable of impregnating a female pig and even worse, will have that boar attitude and smell. This surgery is more involved and the surgeon must dissect the area to find the testicles. If you are getting or got a pig that someone claims is neutered, be sure to get a record of the procedure from them as well just to be sure.

For the most appropriate way to neuter a mini pig/potbellied pig is:The midline skin incision is made cranial to the scrotum, and structures such as the vas deferens and blood vessels are ligated and excised similar to the procedure in dogs. Both inguinal ring areas should be closed to prevent herniation. Removal of tunic, cremaster muscle, and extraneous subcutaneous tissue, followed by closure to obliterate empty space, help prevent seroma formation. At the time of castration, the preputial diverticulum or “scent gland” may be removed by eversion and excision to minimize the pooling and discharge of foul-smelling preputial fluid. (This is what some refer to as a scent gland on male pigs where the "boar smell" is emitted from, if the boar smell doesn't bother you, this is optional to have it removed) Umbilical hernia may complicate removal. Early castration may interfere with the development of the preputial diverticulum, making its removal unnecessary, especially in PBPs kept outside. Tetanus antitoxin (if no current tetanus toxoid vaccination) and antibacterial injection are given after surgery of the reproductive tract.

Inguinal hernias are a common concern in male pigs. An inguinal hernia is an abnormally large hole in between the muscles in the right and/or left lower abdomen where the testicular cords come through the body wall. Normally, there is a small space between the abdominal muscles where nerves, blood vessels, and the testicular cords travel from inside to outside the body. In some pigs, some fat or even intestines can punch out through an enlarged hole. They may become stuck or incarcerated, or trapped outside the body with the blood and nerve supply cut off. If this happens, the trapped, incarcerated body part dies painfully and the body could die as a result. (The dead part must be surgically removed and the remaining pieces put back together and the hernia fixed to restore bodily function.)

When a mini pig is castrated, the inguinal ring could be too big and intestines could fall out of the abdomen and kill the pig. An experienced pig surgeon knows how to check for inguinal herniation and surgically tighten the inguinal ring so the pig will be healthy and uncomplicated. Your pet pig deserves his surgery when he is young, resilient, and manageable, not to mention, free from hormone driven behavior.

Again, the most important thing for you to do is ASK your veterinarian what procedures will be performed on your pig and then make an educated decision based on your new knowledge! Then all that’s left to do is love and care for your precious pet piggy for the remainder of it’s life! Ask your vet how many of these procedures they've done, ask about mortality rates, be sure ISO gas is being used. Remember, your pig will not be able to regulate its own body temperature for several hours after being sedated, so the pig will need to be in a temperature controlled environment, like a crate in the house, a heated/cooled barn, etc.

**It should be understood that if you are not going to breed your pig then you should definitely spay or neuter it. Male pigs are normally very aggressive, rowdy, unpredictable and smelly when they are not neutered. Female pigs will go into heat every 21 days and pig PMS can be quite unpleasant as well. Both unaltered female and male pigs can suddenly start having behavioral issues when left unspayed or unneutered. Neither sex are considered great "pets" when left intact, not to mention the potential health complications that can lead to early death of your beloved pet pig.

When should you have your pig spayed or neutered?It is usually recommended that you spay or neuter your pig when it is young. Male potbellied pigs can be neutered at two weeks of age and up and should be neutered by five weeks of age because male pot bellied pigs can become mating active at four weeks old. Standard pigs are usually neutered before six to eight weeks of age, for the same reason. It is important to have your pigs neutered or spayed while they are very young, preferably around two months old. If you don't intend to breed a pig you should get it neutered or spayed, and there is little reason to breed your pet pig since the pet market and rescues are flooded with pet pigs. Neutering and spaying save pigs from health issues and potentially serious behavior problems down the road when they hit puberty. The sooner you can get this done, the less costly this will be. The risks increase as the pig ages and the healing process isn't as fast as it would be if you spay or neuter a younger pig.

If your pet is a pot-bellied or other "miniature" pig, be aware that they are much different than a regular pig to spay, and nothing like a dog. Be sure to use a veterinarian that is familiar with pot-bellied pigs and has performed a neuter or spay on them before in order to preserve the health of your pet. You will want a veterinarian to perform the procedures.You should spay your female pigs at four to five months of age. Some veterinarians may spay sooner than four months. This spares your female pig the pain and suffering of contracting uterine cancer which is the number one killer of female pigs in America. The older the pig the harder it is on them to be spayed or neutered. Female potbellied piglets can actually become pregnant before they are weaned. Be very careful to keep your female pigs separate from male pigs if the males are not neutered.

If a female pig is not spayed she can contract all manners/forms of reproductive diseases that have the potential to half her life expectancy.

One major health consequence of not spaying is that many female pigs carry twenty to thirty pound tumors from uterine cancer that cause terrible pain by pressing in on organs. Even if your pig already has cancer there are benefits to spaying, not only to remove tumors but it might halt the cancer altogether. Ninety percent of unspayed female pigs will develop cancer and die at half their life expectancy. If you are thinking on adopting a pig, go to one of your local shelters and pick a pig and be sure this pig is neutered or spay it before going home. Not only are you providing a home for a homeless piggy but you are stopping a vicious cycle that has become a problem, particularly in the United States of America.

There are spay assistance programs for female pigs, you can contact your local pet sanctuary to learn more if you have a sanctuary in your area. (please see the link on our additional resource page for financial assistance by clicking here.) So, please spay your female pig, even if there is not a male pig around. Spaying or neutering is the best course for them and you. Intact pigs are known to have behavioral issues and health concerns. You can find information at your local veterinarian office, shelter or even on the Internet about spaying and neutering your pigs. Abandoned potbellied pigs have become a large problem in the United States. Potbellied pigs are now being dumped or adopted by some people only to die in a dog fighting ring, used as training bait. Some "rescued" pigs are later used as hunting trophies, being turned loose in the woods to die shortly thereafter to a hunter's shot, or if they escape a hunter they will likely be shot by a local animal control official because they are roaming wild. There have been some pigs "adopted" off of social media or Craigslist that were bought or taken to a new home to be butchered. That's right, someones beloved PET, given to someone who planned to or did slaughter that pig to eat. Keep these things in mind and do the right thing by spaying or neutering your pig additional pigs will be saved the horrors or being born into a home where they are not wanted. Four million pigs are put to death every year in shelters across the United States. So be a kind and responsible pet owner and spay or neuter your pigs, and save them the pain from debilitating and costly reproductive diseases that kill often and kill early.

How to care for your pig after a spay or neuterIt is important that you have everything ready for your pig before it comes home from the vet's office in order to minimize its pain and suffering. Provide it with a clean, dry, hay-filled shelter where you can keep watch on it. The place you prepare should be cool but not chilly, and out of the sun and weather on clean straw. Your pig may not want to eat for a while, that is common. The younger a pig is when it is spayed or neutered, the better they rebound. If a pig is already an adult it takes a lot longer to recover from this surgery. Please be sure to ask for pain control medications for after the surgery. Ask who you should call if there are any complications and get the number of that provider. Ask what potential complications you should look out for and how they may present. Ask what signs and symptoms will be noted that should prompt you to call the vet. If your vet will not be available, ask for a reference to an emergency vet or trusted colleague.

Do not force your piggy to go anywhere after this surgery. It may tear its stitches and bleed if it does any kind of excessive activity. Provide a ramp it can walk down from your car or truck when you get home. You can also carry it in a blanket to the recovery pen if the pig is small enough. A big pig may take three or four people to move in three or four good sturdy blankets, but this is the best way to assure the stitches won't pull out. When a veterinarian neuters a male pig he may elect to leave the wound open so that it can drain. This decreases the amount of swelling. Usually a veterinarian will put one stitch in the inguinal ring so that a hernia doesn't develop later in life. It is essential that you keep the wound clean by spraying the surgical area on the male pig several times a day with hydrogen peroxide. Get some Wonder Dust, a Farnam horse product, to dust on the wound after spraying it down. This keeps the wound low in PH so that bacteria do not multiply in the wound and so that flies do not lay eggs and maggot hatch in the wound. For female pigs use the Wonder Dust also and be generous. It can save your pig from an infection and another trip to the veterinarian.

You should check your piggy's ears to make sure that they don't have a fever and check that they are eliminating regularly. (Or a rectal temperature, Checking the ears for warmth isn't an accurate way to alert you that your pig has a fever, only an indication that this needs to be investigated further) The female pigs usually don't recover as quickly as the male pigs; their surgery is of course more invasive. If your pig seems to be in pain, ask your veterinarian if you can give it pain medications for the first few days. Pay close attention to your pig, but do not hover and make it nervous. Note any abnormal behavior and whether or not it has a fever. If it does not eat by the third day then you should call your veterinarian and ask if your pig needs to come in for a check up. Do not prod the wound, most surgeries heal fine. A male pig that is neutered after puberty will still continue to show boar behavior, may still have the musky scent and will be able to breed; he CAN still impregnate a female pig for several weeks after his surgery. There is a period of time, approximately a month, (to be on the safe side) until the sperm counts reach zero. This "boar smell" mentioned above, is perfectly normal afterwards too. Keep the newly neutered adult male away from the females. This gives him time to heal properly and get rid of any stray sperm that might be left over from before the surgery. It will take a while for the male hormones to cycle out of his system and for the male pig to settle down and act like a neutered male. Depending on the age at which castration took place, your male pigs' hormone levels may take quite some time to normalize. The testesterone is what drives the aggression in most cases and should level out over a period of 4-12 weeks. If aggression has been an issue, please read our aggressive pig page by clicking here so you know how to retrain your pig effectively. (Your boar is now a barrow.) More in depth information about the care of your pig post op can be found by clicking here. ​http://petcaretips.net/pet-pigs-spay-neuter-care.htmlPreparing your pig for surgeryhttp://www.9sites.org/pigcare/health3.htmFor help with the costs for spaying & neutering, please click the link below.http://www.9sites.org/outreach/hhprogram1.htmArticle on removal of tumor from unspayed pig July 2015 by a vethttp://semobilevet.blogspot.com/2015/08/case-of-month-uterine-cancer-in-pet.htmlAnother article regarding uterine tumorhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2786936/​Pain associated with farm type castrations research study (Please make sure appropriate anesthesia is used)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22445382

Normal female pig anatomy

Complicated male pig anatomy with undescended testicle

Normal anatomy of a male pig

Common questions regarding spay/neuters

Q: When should I spay/neuter my pig?A: The earlier, the better. We recommend between 4-8 months of age if you will be taking them in to a clinic for the procedure. Some vets will treat them younger or based on a minimum weight, so call ahead and ask, again, the sooner, the better! The larger a pig is, the more expensive surgery typically costs and the riskier a surgery is. Having this procedure done at a smaller and younger age reduces the risks to your pig. Once a pig goes into heat, you’ll need to keep track of her menses so you’re able to schedule her spay between cycles. It is a more costly and riskier procedure if your pig is in active heat. Your pig may experience symptoms similar to PMS in women and spaying her also eliminates the risk of her developing reproductive organ cancers (Reproductive tumors are extremely common in female pigs who haven’t been spayed, I’ve heard as high as 90%). Boars are the same, they can be persistent with the desire to mate and can and likely will bite and attempt to mount different objects, people and other animals. Neutering them also eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.

Q: What can/will happen if I choose NOT to spay or neuter my pig?A: There are more than just one possible complicating outcome. Reproductive tumors are a concern in intact pigs. Both males and females can get tumors or cancer. In my experience, both sexes can have behavioral problems associated with hormones fluctuating, once this has gone on for quite some time, once you do decide to neuter or spay your pig, it takes much longer for the hormones to normalize and that behavior has likely become part of their routine, so it will require extra training to fix the situation. Hormones drive the behavior. Females in particular can have life threatening infections in their uterus that you may not identify until it's too late called pyometra. (Discussed above) It is fairly common for intact pigs to be rehomed over and over again due to the behavioral issues they tend to have when left intact. Intact pigs do NOT make great pets.

Q: How much is it to spay/neuter my pig?A: This price will vary from area to area and from vet to vet. Vets with more experience tend to be a tad cheaper than those without a lot of experience. Geographical locations may also play a role in price ranges (i.e... an exotic vet located in a beach city will cost substantially more than a vet in livestock practice that also has mini pig experience and is in a more rural area). I have found that most pig vets will neuter, but not all will spay. A neuter will be less expensive than a spay because neutering is less invasive. The bigger a pig is, typically the costlier the procedure will be, as the surgeon has more tissue to dissect and it takes more anesthesia to keep your pig sedated. Please factor in the costs of anesthesia and pain control after surgery. Some vets don’t include this in the initial price and it is an additional cost. DO NOT allow anyone to do surgery on your pig without anesthesia. This is cruel and can cause such extreme pain that it can lead to other complications. Click here to visit our vet page where we have collected vets that have been recommended by others as someone who sees pigs. Unfortunately, we haven't verified each one, so you will need to call before assuming they still see pigs. If you know of a vet that does see pigs that isn't listed, please send us a quick email and let us know. If you see one listed that doesn't see pigs, please let us know that too so we can remove their name/information from the directory.

Q; Is it ever too late to spay or neuter?A: Tricky question, too late, no. Some vets have a weight in mind that they will not do elective surgeries on though. Heavier/older pigs are more at risk for post surgical and intraoperative issues too. Bigger pigs are historically more expensive as well. The surgery takes more time, more anesthesia is needed, usually costs more and there is more tissue to dissect too. This will need to be discussed with your vet, the general comfortability with your particular situation and whether the risks outweigh the benefits.

Q: Is my pig too big to have this surgery?A: Again, this is up to your vet. However, you do not want your pig to have a risky surgery, so the earlier you have this done, the better hopes for a speedy recovery, less anesthesia and honestly, less costs. A bigger pig has more tissue to dissect through to find the organs, therefore the amount of time under anesthesia is greater, the wounds don't heal as efficient as smaller pigs because the circulation isn't as good in larger pigs. Some vets will ask for your pig to be on a weight loss plan before scheduling the surgery to reduce the risks. So the answer is, yes, some vets feel like the benefits do not outweigh the risks in morbidly obese pigs and prefer them to slim down before surgery is done.

Q: Will my pig develop uterine to testicular cancer once I spay/neuter?A: No, once the reproductive organs are removed, there is ZERO chance your pig will get tumors in organs that have been removed.

Q: Will there be restrictions before and after surgery?A: Yes, There is no eating or drinking, typically after midnight, the night before surgery. NO FOOD OR WATER.After the surgery, your pig may be groggy, but more importantly, your pig is at risk for malignant hyperthermia. Your pig can't regulate the body temperature, so be sure your pig has a temperature controlled room to go in afterwards. There are some activity restrictions as well because its likely that your pig received some sutures during surgery, so they need to be contained for a period of time after surgery. Typically, the vet will ask that you do not allow your pig to climb any steps or jump on or from furniture to reduce the risk of the sutures or staples from opening up. Make sure you ask you vet what they recommend.

Q: Will I need to take my pig back for anything?A: Some vets do not use dissolvable sutures and will need to return to have those removed in approximately 10-14 days. You will need to take your pig back if your pig starts running a fever, the incision opens up, if there is any drainage at the surgical site, the area swells, temperature grater than 102 and or red/hot to the touch. There are also cases that have a complicating factor and your pig my need to be seen several days to several weeks later to be sure the problem has resolved.

Q: Does it matter if my girl pig is in heat?A: Yes, your vet needs to be aware of that. You should keep a journal of your pigs cycles and attempt to schedule the spay in-between heat cycles. During heat, the procedure is riskier, there is usually more blood loss and also more costly.

Q: How much does it cost?A: The price varies region to region, vet to vet and pig to pig. I have seen prices as little as 50.00 for a neuter and as much as 1800.00 for a spay. Your vets experience as ell as the overall condition of a pig come into play regarding the cost as does the size of a pig. The bigger a pig is, the more sedation that is needed, the more tissue the veterinarian has to dissect to get to the reproductive organs, thus a greater risk, therefore, typically the costs are higher. Having a pig spayed during a heat cycle is riskier than when not in heat, so the costs may be higher in those cases as well. Talk to your vet, get an estimate, but more importantly, do this sooner rather than later.

Q: When will my pig be able to breed?A: Pigs mature sexually very early on, boys can exhibit signs between 8-12 weeks, females can have their first heat cycle around 12 weeks old. If you have unaltered opposite sex pigs together, they CAN and likely WILL breed. Please ensure you spay and neuter or separate opposite sexed pigs until you are able to have this done, separation should continue for a period of time AFTER a neuter since sperm counts don't drop to zero immediately after being neutered.Although they reach sexual maturity early on, this is too young to breed pigs and they often pay the ultimate price with their lives. Small pigs often don’t survive farrowing (birthing) when bred that young. We don't recommend breeding your pig. The benefits do NOT outweigh the risks when you don't spay/neuter. We do not advocate the breeding of these precious pet pigs, there are far too many who already need homes to suggest that anyone breed more unwanted pigs. Please consider this if you have intentions of becoming a breeder.

Q: Will spaying or neutering help with behavioral issues?A: In most cases, yes. Pigs need training in addition to altering to truly make a great pet pig. A pig only knows what you teach them, so an untrained pig will act like an untrained pig. Once the hormones have had the opportunity to normalize, typically, you will see significant improvement in pigs what were demonstrating behavioral issues that were hormone driven.

Testicular abnormalities

Cryptorchidic boar
Photo credit: sugarmtnfarm.com

There is a condition called Cryptorchidism in males with "retained" or undescended testicles. This may be one or both testicles and I have heard of unsuspecting pig parents being fooled by someone saying a pig is neutered when in fact, the pig is far from neutered. The procedure to locate and remove the testicles in animals with this condition is much more difficult than the standard neutering procedure. The veterinarian needs to be skilled and proficient in mini/potbellied pigs to reduce the risks of a native or disastrous outcome. An experienced vet would be ideal, but this isn't always possible. Having your vet contact an experienced veterinarian like Dr. John Carr of the UK or Dr. Wilbers of Quarkertown Vet Clinic in Pennsylvania would be a great option if your vet wanted to consult a more experienced veterinarian beforehand. Most university vet hospitals have experienced vets on staff as well. This is a genetic disorder, it can be passed on to offspring and can be a result of inbreeding too. Breeders who pass these pigs off as neutered should be informed that these pigs are NOT neutered and if they have proof of surgery, that veterinarian who claimed to do a procedure to remove the testicles, should be reported to the veterinarian licensing board. This is unacceptable and people who are passing pigs on as being neutered knowing they're not ought to be ashamed of themselves and these dishonest people also need to be reported to someone. Even if you let others know of their scam, that may prevent others from being fooled. Since this is a genetic disorder, the cycle can continue for quite some time and lead to major health complications in pigs who are identified as neutered when they're not.

Aggression is a big concern in intact pigs and boars cannot be trusted. So these morally constipated people who are flat out lying to people can literally put others lives in danger. An intact boar can fatally wound a person given the right circumstances and opportunities. It still isn't the pigs fault, as their hormones drive their behavior. If you were told your pig was neutered and see scrotal sacs on the hind end? Your pig is likely NOT neutered. Perhaps he had one or both testicles retained and they finally dropped or they weren't very prominent to begin with. If your pig is displaying classic boarish behavior like humping any/everything, you may want to have your vet check your pig out to be sure your pig is not intact. There is a difference between a pig with behavioral issues and a pig with hormonal issues. A story about a boar that "attacked" both husband and wife can be read by clicking here. (This story is very questionable to me and this pig did NOT need to be euthanized, a neuter would have likely solved the problem)

Diagnosing an animal as bilaterally cryptorchid, as opposed to having been previously desexed, is generally difficult to do on the basis of testicular palpation alone. After all, in each case, there will be no testicles felt in the scrotal sac. The only time that testicular palpation may be able to assist in the diagnosis of bilateral cryptorchidism is if one or both of the retained testicles is outside of the abdomen and located within the inguinal canal or prescrotal area and, therefore, able to be palpated by the vet.

Palpation of the empty scrotum may give the veterinarian clues about whether or not a pig was desexed (castrated) as opposed to being bilaterally cryptorchid. Desexed animals tend to have a thick ball or nub of scar tissue within each of the scrotal pouches. But this is not a foolproof method to be 100% certain a pig has been neutered.

This condition, left untreated, can actually lead to complications if not treated. Pigs with cryptorchidism are at a much higher risk for developing testicular tumors as well as these conditions.

Testicular torsion (twisted testicle)

Testicular cancer (testicle cancer)

Male feminizing syndrome

Bone marrow hypoplasia and pancytopenia- estrogen toxicity

Excessive testosterone production- this can lead to super aggressive behaviors.

As mentioned above, animals with bilateral cryptorchidism might be infertile and incapable of making viable sperm, however, their testicles are still capable of producing high levels of the masculinising hormone: testosterone. Desexed males, on the other hand, have very little testosterone. Bilaterally cryptorchid animals with plenty of testosterone are therefore much more likely to develop the kinds of "male" testosterone-dependent body features normally attributed to an entire animal.

It is sometimes possible for your veterinarian to locate bilaterally undescended testicles using ultrasound technology. Many clinics have access to diagnostic ultrasound these days and a skilled operator may be able to locate the undescended testicles. Note, however, that undescended testicles are often small and can be very difficult to find and that a negative result on ultrasound does not mean that the animal is not cryptorchid.

Sometimes a diagnosis of bilateral cryptorchidism (as opposed to monorchism, anorchism or prior castration) can only be made by surgical exploration. In these situations, the animal is placed under a general anaesthetic and its entire abdomen, groin and scrotal region is shaved and surgically prepared. Because the missing testicles might be very small (retained testicles are often a lot smaller than scrotal testicles are) and could be located anywhere from the abdominal cavity, behind the kidney, through the inguinal canals to the prescrotal regions, the vet may have to make several incisions to find them. The vet might make an incision into the abdominal cavity, only to discover that one or both of the retained testicles' spermatic cords (vas deferens and testicular blood vessels) disappears into the respective inguinal canal. The vet will then need to make a new incision into the appropriate right and/or left inguinal (groin) region/s to locate the missing testicle/s. This is the more complicated surgery mentioned above.

Excessive estrogen production, as can occur in male animals with certain testicular tumours or female animals with estrogen-secreting ovarian tumours or estrogen-secretory ovarian follicular cysts, can cause the feminising syndrome. In its severe form, it can also produce signs of estrogen toxicity, resulting in severe, often life-threatening effects on the animal's bone marrow.

This is a female pig, but the same behavior type problems exist in females. Intact female pigs will also try and hump, they will attempt to bite a potential mate to let them know they're interested. Even of there are no other pigs around, these pigs are desiring to mate. This video above is NOT aggression, this is hormones. Rin Baker was kind enough to allow us to use her video as an example of how intact pigs can act. If your pig is behaving like a pig in heat or a boar, and supposedly neutered/spayed, 1. Get the vet records stating that this pig has been desexed, 2. Go back to that vet and let them know how the pig is acting, 3. Take the pig to another vet for a second opinion.

It does take time in older pigs for the hormones to drop to non crazy pig levels. Sometimes up to 60 days. So if your pig recently had a procedure to neuter or spay and is still behaving like that, it is expected that hormones will normalize and behaviors should gradually improve. In this same group of older intact pigs that are spayed and neutered later in life, these behaviors have become routine to them, so additional training (or re-training) will need to take place to eliminate these things from their day to day behavior. Click here to see our page about aggressive pigs. The particular pig that inspired this page was an older intact boar with behavioral issues. You can watch him go from the devil pig all the way to a loving pet.

There is another condition called testicular atrophy or degeneration (late-onset cryptorchidism). Pigs with this condition are reported to have palpably normal testicles at birth and weaning, but only having one testicle after 40 days. Ectopic testicular tissue has been noted in many of these pigs and initially, these masses may be interpreted as metastatic neoplasia, but histology reveals the presence of convoluted seminiferous tables and interstitial cells.

Hernia

Umbilical hernia

Scrotal hernia

Hernias are the most common genetic defect and often cause welfare problems. A hernia is an abnormal protrusion of an organ or tissue through a defect or natural opening in the covering skin or muscle. Hernias often cause welfare problems as well as economic loss.

Umbilical hernias in pigs occur when abdominal connective tissue fails to close around the umbilical ring. The condition may be hereditary, although the majority of umbilical hernias are related to infection of the umbilical cord.

Inguinal and scrotal hernias are congenital (present at birth) and can be significantly affected by genetic and environmental factors.

There are three types of hernia – scrotal, inguinal and umbilical. Scrotal Hernia obviously occurs only in males while inguinal hernia may also occur rarely in females. Umbilical hernias are more common in males and occur due to weakened supportive muscles around the umbilical area.

The hernia always has three constituents present which include the hernial ring; the hernial sac which is com- posed of the peritoneum; and hernial con- tents which may include a loop of intes- tine or a portion of the uterus, stomach or omentum.

Many producers report that hernias are also associated with cryptorchidism, a condition occurring when one or both testes fail to descend into the scrotum. Some research indicates that genotypes with a high incidence of cryptorchid offspring tend to produce a low incidence of offspring with scrotal hernia and vice versa indicating that there may be a connection between the inheritance of cryptorch­idism and scrotal hernia.

Pyometra

Pyometra is a condition that female pigs can get when left intact that have never been pregnant. It was once thought pyometra was just a uterine infection. But the condition is now recognized as a hormonal abnormality with or without the presence of a secondary bacterial infection. It can be life-threatening if it’s left untreated.

Pyometra is triggered by a heat cycle that doesn’t end in egg fertilization. Pigs typically start showing signs of the disease within two to four months after the heat cycle, not the first heat cycle, a heat cycle. This illness is seen most often in older pigs, over 5 years old, but it is possible in ANY pig with a uterus. Either an excessive amount of progesterone or hypersensitivity of the uterus to progesterone is what causes the condition. Cysts develop in the lining of the uterus and release large amounts of fluid into the uterus. The accumulated fluid can spark a secondary bacterial infection. The fluid accumulation in the uterus starts leaking out through the vagina. The pig’s natural response is to mask the symptoms of being sick since they are prey animals. Signs of weakness can get them killed in the wild, so often times, it is an advanced case when finally discovered or by the time your pig shows symptoms of being sick. Pigs aren't able to lick their back end as other animals would naturally do, but with infections, the part of the body with infection is usually itchy and she may rub her back end on surfaces introducing more infection/bacteria through the cervix and into the uterus.

There are two types of pyometra, open and closed. In open pyometra, the cervix allows accumulated fluid and debris in the uterus to flow out of the body through the vagina. At some point, however, the cervix closes (closed pyometra), trapping all the excess fluid and white blood cells in the uterus. The flow of fluid into the uterus continues, causing the organ to enlarge. The uterus can eventually rupture and empty all its contents into the abdominal cavity, causing death within about 48 hours.

The body’s response to the secondary infection is to increase fluid production and white blood cells to the uterus, which continues to flow out of the vagina. This is called an open pyometra, because the cervix is open, allowing fluid and accumulated debris to be flushed from the body through the vagina.

At some point, the cervix closes and the fluid can no longer flow out of the uterus. Meanwhile, the body continues to produce more and more fluid and white blood cells. The result is an enlarged uterus. This condition is called closed pyometra, because the cervix does not allow the accumulated material to exit through the vagina.

In worst-case scenarios, the uterus can rupture and empty all of its contents into the abdominal cavity. When this happens, the animal usually dies of septic peritonitis and/or acute kidney failure from uremic poisoning within about 48 hours, even with very aggressive medical intervention.

Obviously, the goal is to catch this condition long before it becomes this serious. Catching symptoms early on is very important in treating pyometra successfully.

SymptomsSymptoms of pyometra can include lethargy, depression, fever, lack of appetite, vomiting, excessive thirst, frequent urination, a distended abdomen (due to the enlarging uterus), vaginal discharge and excessive scratching at the area, as well as weakness in the rear limbs due to the enlarged uterus. With pigs, additional symptoms may be a change in behavior, lack of desire to eat and drink (A pig who isn't interested in eating and/or drinking is a sick pig)

Remember: these symptoms will be noted after a heat cycle.

This is a pus filled uterus. Note the rounded uterus horn. This uterus was bulging from the pressure of the pus. Photo credit: virtuavet.wordpress.com

Diagnosis and Treatment of PyometraPyometra is diagnosed with an examination of the cervix and vaginal discharge, plus X-rays and/or an ultrasound to evaluate the size of the uterus and to rule out pregnancy.

Toxicity can develop rapidly in a pig with pyometra, so prompt treatment is really a very important part of successful treatment, especially if the cervix has closed. The preferred traditional treatment for pyometra is spaying. IV fluids are usually administered for several days, along with antibiotics to treat the potentially life-threatening infection. The uterus and surrounding areas will be irrigated to flush away pus and fluids, and to speed healing.

In cases of open pyometra, prostaglandins are sometimes administered to control cell growth, regulate hormone production, and cause contraction of the uterus to help expel accumulated fluid.

Treatment of the condition includes spaying. By spaying a pig early on, you eliminate the possibility of this potentially deadly condition from ever occurring. Often times when the infection is found, it is too late and most pigs do not survive based on how long the infection has been present and other it is an open or closed infection. If you EVER notice discharge coming from your pigs hind end, notably the vulva, this is an emergency and your pig needs medical care ASAP/urgently!

With ANY surgery, there is the potential for complications. This is any animal that is sedated and invasive surgery takes place, this isn't limited to pigs. So, I thought it would be nice to discuss the potential complications for pigs after being spayed/neutered. Anesthesia poses one risk, but the surgery itself can also present its own complications or unexpected findings. Smaller pigs tend to recover the best, while larger bigger pigs require more sedation and also do not have the great circulation to aid in healing as younger, smaller pigs do.

MalesMost common complications following castration are hemorrhage, abscess, scirrhous cord, inguinal hernia and seroma or hematoma formation. Fatal hemorrhagic shock has been reported after necropsy was done in one case reported. (Using the book I am referencing for this information out of 131 pigs)

Occasionally, neuroleptic drugs are administered for surgery and one of the complicating factors of this class of drugs is prolapsed penis or preputial prolapse, but both have been identified as a result of trauma as well as congenital defects too.

While prolapsed, the penis is at a greater risk of further injury. The penis and prepuce must be returned to their normal position as soon as possible after prolapse. Treatment of penile prolapse usually requires the pig to be placed under general anesthesia. The penis is thoroughly cleaned with cold water and a topical antiseptic ointment is applied to the surface of the penis. If a penile wound is present, debridement may also be done at that time. Penile wounds are not typically sutured closed unless they have occurred recently (within the last 2-4 hours) because of the likelihood of formation of an abscess. The penis and prepuce are gently massaged until reduction into the sheath is completed. Use of hydroscopic agents such as anhydrous glycerine may help reduce the swelling by resolving edema. After the penis and prepuce have been repositioned, a purse-string suture may be used to prevent recurrence of the prolapse. The purse-string should be removed in 507 days. If wounds or abrasions are present, daily preputial lavage or administration of systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs is indicated. If wounds are not present, sexual rest should be enforced for at least 14 days.If wounds requiring treatment are present, sexual rest should be enforced for 30-60 days depending on severity.

Preputial prolapse may occur as stated above with penile prolapse or may result from preputial injury and swelling. Treatment is the same as stated above using the purse-string suture to maintain the reduction. Careful evaluation of the preputial sweeping should be done to ensure urination is possible. Reduction in preputial edema can be achieved by the application of hydroscopic agents. A preputial retaining tube, constructed from rubber or polyurethane tubing, may be placed into the preputial space to prevent prolapse, but allow for urination.Stay sutures are placed through the tubing and attached to the skin at the preputial orifice. Penrose drain may be sutured to the tip of the penis to ensure urine outflow. Often times, the prolapsed prepuce has been traumatized and surgical removal of the affected tissues is indicated, Preputial amputation may be preformed, but the opening to the urethral diverticulum must be maintained. Alternatively, the preputial diverticulum may be removed at the time of surgery. Systematic antibiotics should be administered postoperatively. ​These complications aren't due to surgery, per se, but definitely complicating factors that should be considered.​FemalesVaginal prolapse can occur as a prepartum event, but is uncommonly reported in pigs. The cause is unknown, but straining to defecate or urinate may be involved. Pigs with lateral deviation of the bladder and difficulty urinating or with inflammation associated with cystitis and urethritis may develop vaginal prolapse because of the straining. When the cause can be found, treatment should be aimed at the primary problem. The vagina is cleaned with cold water, hydroscopic agents (anhydrous glycerine, sugar, etc) are applied, a towel is wrapped around the prolapsed portion, and constant gentle pressure is applied to reduce the edema and swelling. The prolapse can usually be reduced in 15-20 minutes. The vagina should be cleansed and topical antibiotic or antiseptic ointments are used to reduce the secondary bacterial vaginitis that invariably occurs. Administration of anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce straining and shorten convalescence. A burner suture is placed around the vagina to prevent recurrence of the prolapse.

Uterine Prolapse is occasionally seen in sows during or up to parturition. Excessive straining because of fetal malpositioning/maternal disproportion or trauma with swelling and inflammation in the birth canal is thought to be the cause for uterine prolapse. Prolapse of the entire uterus has the greatest potential for life threatening crisis because of profuse hemorrhage, but partial prolapse can also occur. The pig must be stabilized before attempts to replace the uterus into the normal position takes place. If hemorrhage or shock is present, she should be placed in a warm area and IV fluids should be administered.

Research study conducting to assess pain levels during castration proves that pain IS felt by these young pigs.

Pain related to piglet tail docking and/or castration!!In French commercial piggeries, piglets are often submitted to tail docking shortly after birth and to surgical castration a few days later with meloxicam used to alleviate pain due to surgical castration. A series of experiment was performed to evaluate different scenarios of analgesic treatment and age at docking and castration. In the present part of the study, we have compared tail docking alone, castration alone and tail docking + castration. The protocol was approved by the French ethical committee n°07 and authorized by the French ministry of Education and Research. Three piglets per litter were either tail docked with hot cautery iron (T) or castrated (C) or submitted to both procedures (TC) at 2 days of age after i.m. injection of meloxicam. Movements and intensity of vocalizations were registered during the interventions in 35 piglets/ group. Behaviour and tail movements were registered at 2-min interval during 60 min at H0 (the first hour following the intervention), H4 and H24 in 24 piglets/group. A jugular blood sampling was drawn at 30 min after the intervention in 20 additional piglets/group in order to measure plasma cortisol. Piglets were weighed at birth, just before the intervention and at weaning. Treatments were compared by use of linear model with treatment as fixed effect and litter as random effect. Behavioural data were transformed and analysed the same way, taking into account the period of observation as a repeated effect. Movements during the procedures did not differ among treatments. Mean intensity of vocalisations was higher during castration than tail docking (104.7±0.4 vs 94.2±1.0 dB, respectively) and was significantly higher at castration when piglets were previously tail docked (106.0±0.8 vs 103.5±1.0 dB, for TC and C respectively, P<0.01). Cortisol was higher in TC than in T pigs (185.1±17.6 vs 96.2±6.8 ng/ ml respectively, P<0.001) with C pigs being intermediate (148.5±12.3 ng/ml, P<0.1). After the procedure, TC piglets spent more time sitting than T piglets (P<0.05) with C pigs being intermediate; this was particularly the case during the first hour post-intervention. T and C piglets spent more time standing than TC piglets (P<0.01) and exploring was more frequent in T piglets than in C piglets (P<0.05). C piglets presented more ample tail movements and less trembling tails than T piglets (P<0.001). Our results suggest that acute pain was the highest in TC pigs, slightly lower in C pigs and more clearly lower in T pigs.

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